Goodwin



C. GOODWIN EYEGLASS AND LENS CLEANING DEVICE March 17, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April 26, 1963 INVENTOR. CHARLES GOODWIN ATTO/FAZ'W March 17, 1964 C.GOODW1N EYEGLASS AND LENS CLEANING DEVICE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 26, 1963 INVENTOR.

CHARLES eooowm BY 2 United States Patent 3,125,262 EYEGLASS AND LENS CLEANING DEVICE Charles Goodwin, 1506 Caton Ave., Brooklyn 26,, N.Y.

Filed Apr. 26, 1963, Ser- No. 275,841

4 Claims. (Cl. 225--32) This invention concerns a container and dispenser for cleaning tissue used in cleaning lenses of eyeglasses and other optical devices.

According to the invention there is provided a container including a closed rectangular casing with a slot at one edge to permit cleaning tissue in strip or tab form to be withdrawn from the container. A pad is mounted on one end of the casing and provides a resilient base or cushion over which the tissue is drawn. A clamp frame is hinged to the casing. The frame has an opening large enough to permit the pad to protrude through the opening. The tissue is drawn across the pad and the clamp is closed over the tissue alongside the pad. The clamp has a serrated or roughened edge which effectively grips the free edge of the tissue and holds the tissue snugly across the pad. This edge may also serve as a cutting element to facilitate tearing the tissue. The pad may be a fixed or rotatable member. The pad may be made of foam rubber, felt or other suitable material. The container may also have a hinged lid or cover which can be opened to provide access to the interior of the container. On the inside of the lid may be provided a spring which serves to engage a stack or pile of tissues inside the container. The spring holds the tissue taut inside the container, in cooperation with the clamp. A cover may be provided for the contianer to protect the pad when it is not in use.

It is therefore one object of the invention to provide a pocket-size, portable container for lens cleaning tissue.

Another object is to provide a personal accessory in the form of a small container adapted to contain a pile, stack or roll of lens cleaning tissue, the container having a slotted portion through which an end of the tissue can be passed, a pad on one end of the container over which the end of the tissue can be drawn, and a clamp on the container for holding the free edge of the tissue end taut.

A further object is to provide a tissue container as described, with spring means inside the container to hold the tissue taut in cooperation with the clamp on the container.

'' Other objects are to provide: a tissue container with a slotted side closure and a tissue clamp which can be mutually engaged in a closed position; a slide or snap cover for the tissue container; and a fixed or rotatable resilient pad over which the tissuse can be drawn from the container.

For further comprehension of the invention, and of the objects and advantages thereof, reference will be had to the following description and accompanying drawings, and to the appended claims in which the various novel features of the invention are more particularly set forth.

In the accompanying drawings forming a material part of this disclosure:

FIG. 1 is a front elevational view of a tissue container embodying the invention.

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the container.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view on an enlarged scale taken on line 3-3 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the container with front wall and clamp shown in open positions.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a pad employed in the container.

FIG. 6 is a sectional view similar to a part of FIG. 3, showing a modification of the invention.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of another container in closed position, and carrying a cover on one side.

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary sectional view on an enlarged scale taken on line 8-8 of FIG. 7.

FIG: 9 is a sectional view similar to a part of FIG. 3, with a cover on the container.

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of the container cover per se.

FIG. 11 is a rear elevational view of the container of FIG. 7, with cover removed.

Referring to the drawings, there is shown in FIGS. 1-4 a container casing 20 having closed sides 22, 24, rear wall 26, bottom wall 28, top wall 39 and an open front. A front wall 32 is pivotally secured to the front edge of the bottom wall by a hinge 34. The top edge of the front wall is formed with a cut-out defining a slot 36 with the adjacent front edge of the top wall 30. On the inner side of wall 32 are tabs 38 in which are engaged ends 39 of a looped wire spring 40. The loop of the spring is biased inwardly of the container when the front wall is closed.

The front wall has upper extensions 42 formed with notches 43 in which engage spring fingers 44 extending forwardly from the front edge 41 of a rectangular frame 45. This frame serves as a clamp for tissue as will be described. The frame has a roughened bottom at the rear edge 48 of the frame. The frame is pivotally secured by hinge 49 to the upper end of side 24 of the container.

On the top wall 36) is an integral rectangular frame 50 in which is removably seated a resilient pad 52 shown to best advantage in FIG. 5. This pad may be made of sponge rubber or plastic, felt or other fibrous material. The pad may have a relatively stiff backing 54 made of plastic, cloth or the like and coated with a pressure sensi tive adhesive layer 55. Layer 55 will detachably adhere to the top of wall 30 so that the pad can be removed from the receptacle defined by frame 50 and the top of wall 319.

A stack of lens cleaning tissue 55 in the form of pleated or folded sections may be disposed inside the container as shown in FIG. 3. The spring 40 will bear against the forward side of the stack and will engage the end sheet 56' inside the container. This end sheet can be extended out through slot 36, around front edge 41 of frame 45, over pad 52 and under rear frame edge 48. The roughened edge 48 will serve to clamp or frictionally grip the free end 56" of the end sheet 56 when the clamp is in closed position as shown in FIGS. 1-3.

When the clamp is so closed, the spring fingers 44 engage in the notches 43 of front wall extensions 42. Thus the clamp is held down on the tissue sheet while the front wall is held closed at the front of the container.

The frame 45 has a large rectangular opening 47 slightly larger than frame 50 so that pad 52 extends outwardly above the frame. This arrangement permits the user to grasp the sides of the container and rub a lens with the exposed portion of sheet 5 6 overlying the resilient pad 52. After the sheet 56 is used the clamping frame 45 can be raised and sheet 56' can be drawn through slot 36 outwardly of the container to expose a fresh portion of the stack 56. Spring 40 will hold the lens sheet taut inside the container. The excess used portion of the lens tissue can be torn off at edge 48 after theclamping frame 45 is turned down to closed position.

In FIG. 6, container 20 is similar to container 20 and corresponding parts are identically numbered. The top wall 311 has a rectangular opening 51 formed therein within frame 50. Pad 52 is in the form of a resilient roller having an axial shaft 53 rotatably engaged at opposite ends of frame 59. This rotatable arrangement of the pad facilitates withdrawing the tissue from the container since frictional sliding of the tissue over the pad is avoided.

In FIGS. 7-11 is shown another form of the invention in which container 20 has a vertical groove 57 formed in front wall 32' near wall 22. A similar groove 59 is formed in rear wall 26'. Opposite int-urned edges 61 of a flexible plastic channel-shaped cover 60 detachably engage in these grooves 57, 59 and hold the cover in a stationary out-of-the-way position while the lens tissue covering pad 52 is in use.

When the lens tissue is not in use, the cover 60 can be detached from groove 57. The opposite edges of the cover can then be engaged in a horizontal groove 63 formed on the rear wall 26 and in slot 36 as clearly shown in FIG. 9. The exposed tissue will then be covered and protected when not in use. The cover can easily be snapped off the top of the container when the tissue is to be used.

If desired, the clamp can be arranged to slide up and down the container instead of being hinged at the top side or end. The roller pad can be made in various shapes other than circular, such as elliptical, rectangular, triangular, hexagonal, etc. The closure for the container may be a lid which slides or telescopes instead of being pivoted as shown for wall 32. The tissue stack 56 can be in roll from if desired. The container can be made of metal, plastic or combinations of such materials. The pad can be arranged to snap into frictional engagement with the top of the container instead of being held by adherence of a pressure sensitive adhering layer. If the container is intended for disposal after one stack or roll of tissue is used, the container of tissue can be permanently closed or sealed so that it cannot be refilled, and the hinged arrangement of container closure can be omitted.

While I have illustrated and described the preferred embodiments of my invention, it is to be understood that I do not limit myself to the precise constructions herein disclosed and that various changes and modifications may be made within the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by United State Letters Patent is:

1. A dispenser for lens cleaning tissue, comprising a containing having a front opening, a wall hinged at one edge of said opening for closing the same, said wall having a slot therein for passing one end of said tissue therethrough from the interior of the container, spring means in the container for holding said end of the tissue taut inside the container, a resilient pad on one end of the container near said slot for supporting a portion of said end of the tissue, and a clamp pivotally carried by the container for clamping a free edge of said end of the tissue while said end of the tissue overlays said pad and said spring cooperates with said clamp in holding the tissue in a taut condition overlying said pad, said one end of the container having a fixed rectangular frame thereon defining a receptacle for said pad, said end of the casing providing a bottom for the receptacle, said pad having a pressure sensitive adhesive bottom side detachably engaged with the bottom of said receptacle.

2. A dispenser for lens cleaning tissue, comprising a container having 'a front opening, a Wall hinged at one edge of said opening for closing the same, said Wall having a slot therein for passing one end of said tissue therethrough from the interior of the container, spring means in the container for holding said end of the tissue taut inside the container, a resilient pad on one end of the container near said slot for supporting a portion of said end of the tissue, and a clamp pivotally carried by the container for clamping a free edge of said end of the tissue while said end of the tissue overlies said pad and said spring cooperates with said clamp in holding the tissue in a taut condition overlaying said pad, said clamp having the form of a rectangular frame hinged at one edge to the container, said frame having a rectangular opening so that the pad extends through the frame, said frame having one edge engageable with said free edge of said end of the tissue and adapted to serve as a cutter for severing the tissue thereat, said one end of the container having a rectangular opening therein, said pad being in the form of a roller having a shaft engaged at opposite ends of said rectangular opening.

3. A dispenser for lens cleaning tissue, comprising a container having a front opening, a Wall hinged at one edge of said opening for closing the same, said wall having a slot therein for passing one end of said tissue therethrough from the interior of the container, spring means in the container for holding said end of the tissue taut inside the container, a resilient pad on one end of the container near said slot for supporting a portion of said end of the tissue, and a clamp pivotally carried 'by the container for clamping a free edge of said end of the tissue while said end of the tissue overlies said pad and said spring cooperates with said clamp in holding the tissue in a tau-t condition overlaying said pad, said wall having spaced tabs thereon, said spring being in the form of a wire loop with free ends engaged in said tabs to bias the loop inwardly toward an opposite rear wall of the container to engage said end of the tissue, said rear wall having an external groove parallel to said slot, and a flexible channel-shaped cover having opposite int-urned edges detachably engaged in said slot and groove for protecting the pad and tissue overlaying the same.

4. A dispenser for lens cleaning tissue, comprising a container having a front opening, a Wall hinged at one edge of said opening for closing the same, said wall having a slot therein for passing one end of said tissue therethrough from the interior of the container, spring means in the container for holding said end of the tissue taut inside the container, a resilient pad on one end of the container near said slot tor supporting a portion of said end of the tissue, and a clamp pivotally carried by the container for clamping a free edge of said end of the tissue while said end of the tissue overlies said pad and said spring cooperates with said clamp in holding the tissue in a taut condition overlaying said pad, said one end of the container having a fixed rectangular frame thereon defining a receptacle for said pad, said end of the casing providing a bottom for the receptacle, said pad having a pressure sensitive adhesive bottom side detachably engaged with the bottom of said receptacle, said clamp having the form of another rectangular frame hinged at one edge to the container, said other frame having a rectangular opening so that the pad extends through said rectangular opening, said other frame having one edge engageable with said free edge of the tissue and adapted to serve as a cutter for severing the tissue thereat.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,658,608 Marcuse Feb. 7, 1928 2,351,781 Punte June 20, 1944 2,613,879 Carr Oct. 14, 1952 2,8 0,345 Marcuse et al Sept. 2, 1958 

1. A DISPENSER FOR LENS CLEANING TISSUE, COMPRISING A CONTAINING HAVING A FRONT OPENING, A WALL HINGED AT ONE EDGE OF SAID OPENING FOR CLOSING THE SAME, SAID WALL HAVING SLOT THEREIN FOR PASSING ONE END OF SAID TISSUE THERETHROUGH FROM THE INTERIOR OF THE CONTAINER, SPRING MEANS IN THE CONTAINER FOR HOLDING SAID END OF THE TISSUE TAUT INSIDE THE CONTAINER, A RESILIENT PAD ON ONE END OF THE CONTAINER NEAR SAID SLOT FOR SUPPORTING A PORTION OF SAID END OF THE TISSUE, AND A CLAMP PIVOTALLY CARRIED BY THE CONTAINER FOR CLAMPING A FREE EDGE OF SAID END OF THE TISSUE WHILE SAID END OF THE TISSUE OVERLAYS SAID PAD AND SAID SPRING COOPERATES WITH SAID CLAMP IN HOLDING THE TISSUE IN A TAUT CONDITION OVERLYING SAID PAD, SAID ONE END OF THE CONTAINER HAVING A FIXED RECTANGULAR FRAME THEREON DEFINING A RECEPTACLE FOR SAID PAD, SAID END OF 